October 19, 2023 - Annual Foliage Flight
Day Three - Part One
Maine Lakes - Flight Home
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| I'm not heading straight home today. I head northwest to cover an area I didn't see yesterday. Yesterday I flew due west. This morning I'm going northwest to fly the area west of Mount Katahdin plus the northern half of Moosehead Lake. Then I head for home although doing some flightseeing the first half. |
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| Since the Hotel Terrace restaurant was no longer available for breakfast, I walked back to Penobscot Avenue to try the Appalachian Trail Cafe. It was a very good breakfast place. I had a breakfast sandwich and coffee. The waitress looked very familiar. I asked her if she had worked the Scootic Inn last night. She had. The airport manager was there also and we talked briefly as he went out. Then my waitress told me he was her husband. Small world! |
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Walking to the airport past what looks to be an abandoned small apartment building. The sign by the door says it all: Home Sweet Home.
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| Almost to the airport. A pontoon boat would be a fun thing to have up here in Maine with all the lakes. |
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One of the more unusual trucks you're ever gonna see.
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| Parked on the ramp between two Cessna high-wings. |
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| One last look at Millinocket. |
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| Cruising by Pemadumcook Lake. |
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Central Maine is forecasted to be overcast this morning. Oh well, what can you do?
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| Passing between some hills. |
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Following a stream to Chesuncook Lake.
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| Approaching Ripogenus Dam at the eastern end of Chesuncook Lake. |
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| Flying up the west side of Chesuncook Lake. |
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West of the northern end of the lake, I spot what looks to be an old landing strip but its not on the chart.
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Now heading south towards the top of Moosehead Lake, following Ragmuf Road.
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| Now on Moosehead Lake which you may recall is Maine's largest lake. |
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| Passing an unusually shaped tree-covered rock. |
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| Pretty trees along the lake. |
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Water to the right ....
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| Trees to the left. |
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| Remember that Gilbraltar-like rock I saw yesterday in the middle of Moosehead Lake? It's called Mount Kineo. This is the little community at its base including "The Oak Lodge" built in 1912, and believe it or not, an 18-hole golf course. |
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A ferry runs between Mount Kineo and Rockwood.
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The |
| The scenic community of Rockwood. |
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| Continuing south. |
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| I flew down the west side of Moosehead Lake, past Greenville and its airport, then southeast into the autumn splendor. |
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Now flying east down Sebec Lake.
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| Checking out the Charles A. Chase Jr. Memorial Airport (44B) which is a public grass strip. |
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| 44B is just southwest of the town of Dover-Foxcroft, home to the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival, an annual one-day event which takes place in late June each year. It started in 2009 to honor the whoopie pie. The whoopie pie became the official state treat of Maine in 2013. As Johnny Carson would say, "I did not know that." |
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After Chase, I turned due south to check out another grass strip, this one private, called Tailwind Farm. Nice.
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| Continuing south, looking southwest. |
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P45
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| Checking out the little town of Dexter, Maine. |
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| A couple of miles southeast of town is Dexter Regional Airport (1B0). |
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| A closer look at Dexter. Nice-looking airport. |
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Continuing south.
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Passing by Pittsville Municipal Airport (2B7).
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| Close-up of Pittsfield. This looks like a happening airport. |
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| Now heading southwest, following I-95 for a bit. |
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| Merging with the Kennebec River. |
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Oh wow! A Wal-Mart and Home Depot!!! Yeah, and Staples.
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| Passing by picturesqe Colby College, just west of Waterville, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. Colby College is a private, liberal arts college (read: expensive),. founded in 1813. |
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Passing Waterville Robert LaFleur Airport (KWVL), just southeast of Waterville.
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| Back on the Kennebec River, heading south. |
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| Coming into Augusta, Maine. |
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August State Airport (KAUG) just west of town. It was busy so I didn't go over there.
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Augusta's waterfront area with numerous restaurants. You can see how close the airport is to the town in this picture.
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| Just a little further down the river is the Maine State House. Yes, Augusta is the capital of Maine. |
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The river continues south towards Brunswick and the ocean, but I turn southwest.
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| Interesting cloud front. |
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Crossing scenic Cobbosseecontee Lake. Who comes up with these names!?!
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| Nice. |
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I notice a public grass strip on my path. It's Wales Airport (ME6). I decide it would be a good place to stop and stretch my legs.
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I made a nice landing in the lush green grass.
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No facilities here, just a nicely maintained grass strip.
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My plane parked all by its lonesome.
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The only other plane is a Cessna 170 tied down in the tall grass.
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The runway slopes uphill. This is the kind of strip you land going uphill and takeoff going downhill.
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